Shifting
by xoxothesubwayfugitive
Summary: Narcissa Malfoy wasn't always her blonde bombshell self; as a Metamorphmagus, she chose to be that way. War separates her family but one thing ties them together, and when she and Andromeda reconcile, she meets the family's latest shape-shifter. Oneshot, Lucissa.


Narcissa Malfoy didn't always look so different from her sisters. When she was born, she had their same black, tangled hair and strong features. No one was surprised, and everyone who came to see the baby cooed over her classic Black looks. But within a few days, things started to change. Her hair would shift in texture and her eyes would change colors, slowly, over the course of a day.

"It's less textbook than the other cases I've seen, but yes, she seems to be a Metamorphmagus," said the specialist Healer whom her worried parents called. He was extremely old, with only the smallest wisp of white hair on his head, and told them this was only the 5th case he had ever seen in all of his work, all throughout the wizarding world.

"You're lucky," he said, hands trembling as he put Narcissa back in her crib and her hair turned from sandy brown to blackest black, even as she slept. "That's quite a skill to have; I'm sure she'll grow up to be a prodigious witch."

* * *

Narcissa never had an interest in brightly colored hair or funny noses; from a young age she had always been almost severely proper. But as a child she couldn't always control her temper, and there were times when Bellatrix's teasing, to her mortification, would cause her hair to flame red.

The closer the time came for her to go to Hogwarts, the more time she spent in front of her bedroom mirror, trying to learn control and become her prettiest self. Sometimes Andromeda would join her, sitting on the bed and commenting on what traits she thought were best.

"I like blonde," she sighed one day, late in August, as her sister shifted through every different shade imaginable, both natural and shocking. "And straight. I wish my hair wasn't such a mess."

"Oh, your hair is pretty, Andy. It's so thick." Narcissa wrinkled her nose, which they had settled on the day before, as she moved through the strawberry blondes. "Long, right?"

"Yes, definitely long. You want to start with it long so that if you decide to change it to short, you can say you cut it."

The girls had decided not to tell anyone at Hogwarts about Narcissa. Narcissa wanted everyone to think she was naturally beautiful, and Bella, always scheming, told her it would be good to keep a secret, in case she ever truly needed to disguise herself. They were working their way through telling all their friends who had always known Narcissa, and Bellatrix was certainly convincing when demanding they keep the secret.

Bellatrix stuck her head through the door as Narcissa was examining long, almost white tresses.

"Lucius is here. Do you want to see him, or should I just go ahead and tell him not to tell?"

But it was too late as Narcissa glanced up in the mirror and watched Lucius's head appear over Bella's.

"Hello all," he said, brushing a bit of hair, which was longer than when he had visited the Blacks at Christmastime, from his face. One of the sisters' oldest playmates, he and Bellatrix were the same age and had a teasing sort of friendship that always made Narcissa feel, for some reason she couldn't pinpoint, jealous. "Hey Cissy, your hair looks good like that."

Narcissa blushed slightly but did her best to push it away, and then shook her hair dramatically, relishing the feeling.

"Thank you, Lucius," she said, trying to sound grown up. "But please don't call me Cissy at Hogwarts, if you don't mind."

He pouted a little, playing hurt.

"Aw, but we've known each other forever. Ever since you couldn't control yourself and your hair would go all kinds of bright."

"That's the reason you're here," Bellatrix said, shoving him into the room and sitting him down in a chair. "Because we've decided that we're not telling people about her powers at school."

"So what does that have to do with me?" For a moment his eyes flicked to Narcissa, and he grinned lazily.

"You won't tell anyone, that's what it has to do with you," Bellatrix said.

"Other people know, you know."

"We've been working on shutting them up. Just agree."

"If I don't?"

Bellatrix withdrew her wand and jabbed it into his chest.

"You'll only have me to answer to."

He put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Put it away, Black. I'll agree, only for _Narcissa's_ sake. But why does it matter?"

"Some things are just better left secret, Lucius. I'm sure your parents taught you that, just like ours." Andromeda, usually shy in front of others, had finally spoken up.

"Right you are, Andromeda. Is that all you girls want from me?" Lucius stood up, making a show of straightening his clothes.

"You could stay to dinner," Narcissa blurted out, surprising even herself. "I'll ask Mummy."

Bellatrix looked as if she was going to speak against this idea, but Lucius was quicker.

"Love to. Come on Bella, I know you wanted to show me your new Dark Arts books. We can leave these girls to their preening."

"What books?" Andromeda shot at Bellatrix, eyebrows raised.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts books, Andy. Lucius misspoke." But Bella was gripping Lucius's elbow very tight, steering him out of the room. He cast one more look backwards, and managed a wink at Narcissa. When they were gone, Andromeda went back to her place on the bed, and Narcissa went back to the mirror, pushing herself again not to blush in front of her sister.

"So what are you going to try next?" Andromeda asked, politely ignoring the stain of pink Narcissa couldn't quite rid herself of.

Narcissa brushed through and through her hair, gazing at herself as the flush went away.

"Nothing," she decided. "This is it."

* * *

"Can I call you Cissy here?" he breathed, twirling a bit of her hair around and around his finger. They were tucked away in a niche in the hall past the Slytherin common room, barely lit by the candles in the sconces.

"Please," she said back, glad he wouldn't be able to make out the blush spreading across her cheeks. It was interesting that their skin was almost exactly the same tone, yet she had never seen him blush the way she was so prone.

"It's your birthday."

"Yes." Her heart rate was quickening.

"16 is a big one."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes," he whispered emphatically into her ear, hot breath somehow sending chills down her spine.

"Did you get me something?"

"Yes. But I want to know something before I give it to you." His hands moved down to her waist, pulling her, if possible, even closer.

"Anything."

"Your hair never changed after that day you told me not to tell anyone you're a Metamorphmagus. Is it because I said I liked it?"

"You remember saying you liked it?"

"I remember because of just how _much_ I liked it. You might even say I _loved_ it."

" _Loved_ it, hmm?" Her hand reached up to stroke his face. It was late, and stubble was forming across his jaw.

"Answer the question, Cissy."

Oh, how she loved that. A name just for the two of them, something special and intimate. And she loved, secretly, the slight edge on his voice.

"Yes, that's why. Are you pleased?"

"Terribly."

"I want you to kiss me."

"Well then, you're very lucky that I want to kiss you."

"Very lucky. Put your hands in my hair?"

"With pleasure."

They fell easily into their usual routine, lips melting together as if they were made to meet. The two went at it for the better part of an hour, breaking apart every so often to chat just a little until he would compliment her again, and she would tilt her face up, and he would bend down...

"We'll be missed soon," Narcissa panted, finally pushing away from him, hands firm on his chest. "I'm sure my sisters are waiting up, and Bellatrix will hex you to bits if we're too late."

"Fine then. But let me give you your gift."

He fumbled in his robes for a moment, finally withdrawing a small velvet box.

"Lucius Malfoy, that better not be what I think it is."

"Would that be so bad?"

"No, I just…I mean, we're young…you know I want…" Narcissa was getting flustered.

"Relax, Cissy. It's not one of those." _But someday,_ he thought, _and soon._

He popped the box open and showed her an almost disappointingly plain gold chain.

"Don't look so sad," he chided, laughing inwardly at how her face fell ever so slightly. "It's specially made, just for Metamorphmagi. When you wear it, you'll be able to turn it to look exactly as you wish, just as easily as you can change your hair, if you ever would. So really," he said, looking pleased with himself, "I've just given you an infinite number of beautiful gems."

"Oh, a loophole. How romantic." But she was clearly pleased, and let him clasp it around her neck. Her fingers curled around it, and she smiled up at him.

"So do you want to show me if it works? I spent a lot of money on it, completely trusting those goblins that it does what they say..." He was teasing again; he was always teasing.

"I…I wouldn't even know where to begin."

He drew her close once more, and whispered in her ear.

"Just feel what you want, and it will happen."

So she closed her eyes and let herself go in his arms, feeling the rush of change come over her as it hadn't for 5 years. It was almost like a drug, and without his support she might have fallen. When she stepped away from him, his eyes lit up to see a choker of tiny, deep green stones ringing her neck.

"Beautiful," he said.

* * *

"Lucius, what if he's like me?" They were lying in bed, Narcissa almost painfully pregnant, Lucius supporting her from behind.

"What? Charming and wonderful and strong?"

"No. You know what I mean."

"Darling, I really don't think that would be so bad. What are you so worried about? It would be a wonderful skill for our child to have."

"I just…I want him to be normal."

Lucius looked almost hurt by this, as if the idea that his wife had insecurities cut him to his core.

"You don't think you're normal."

"Not really…that's why I decided to just choose an appearance, all that time ago. We don't have to talk about it," she said, trying to dismiss the conversation as she began to feel overwhelmed with feelings she had tried to eradicate starting at the age of 7. The effort had never really succeeded.

"We can if you want."

"I don't."

"Then let me just say this, and we shall change the conversation to what sort of gargantuan ring you want me to buy you once the baby is born: our child won't be normal. He'll be exceptional and perfect, no matter how he comes out."

She turned her head and buried her face in his chest; this was why she loved him.

* * *

For the first weeks of his life, Draco must have been the most examined baby in the wizarding world. His mother hovered over his crib constantly, waiting for his eyes to open and be a different color, or for his hair to turn, suddenly, acid green. But it never happened, and after a month, Narcissa could finally release the breath she had been holding. Draco looked almost exactly like Lucius, which was, as far as she was concerned, the most perfect outcome possible.

But she had heard rumors, as the tensions of the War mounted, that her sister's baby had shown all the signs she had so searched for in her own son. Narcissa wanted to see her sister, and her niece, more than she could ever say to her family. Bellatrix and her parents had been the ones to fight with Andromeda, and Narcissa had merely been pulled along by their tide. Now she had no one to lie in bed with and giggle, no one with whom to share the embarrassing secrets that she couldn't tell Lucius. Bellatrix was still around, and there was certainly sisterly love there, but it really had never been the same tenderness she had shared with Andy. And the baby, little Nymphadora, who apparently had turned out just like Narcissa - there were lessons she wanted to share, things she could teach the girl and jokes only they could understand. But there was war too, and there were barriers it was too late to break down.

* * *

After the Battle of Hogwarts, Narcissa, tired head resting on Lucius's shoulder, spotted her sister across the Great Hall. To her horror, Andromeda was kneeling next to a lovely girl with shocking pink hair, laid out on a stretcher, eyes closed. Without thinking, Narcissa stood, shushing Lucius as he asked what she was doing. Her feet got away from her, and before she knew it she was kneeling there too, arm around her sister's shoulder.

"She was beautiful," Narcissa said.

Andromeda nodded, apparently unsurprised at her sister's appearance.

"She was like you," she replied.

* * *

The sisters didn't meet again for a long time; there was too much pain between them. It took years before Narcissa steeled herself to send an owl to Andromeda, asking if she wanted to meet for tea and hoping that she would be able to read her words of apology between the lines.

Luckily, Andromeda had always been insightful, and she invited Narcissa over the very next day, answering the door with a squirming Teddy on her hip.

"Oh, you're a darling," Narcissa cooed straight away, noting his electric blue hair and very snubbed nose.

"Who are you?" the little boy asked.

"I'm your Aunt Narcissa. It's really nice to meet you, Teddy."

He looked back at her solemnly, and his grandmother put him down, where he stood clinging to her leg.

"She's my sister, Teddy," Andromeda said, and the boy nodded, still taking in the new arrival.

"Well," Andy continued, seeing that they wouldn't be getting anything more out of the child, "let's go in."

As Narcissa was given the tour of the house, Teddy slowly detached himself from his grandmother and began to trail in Narcissa's wake. Even when they sat for tea, he wouldn't leave her side, sitting patiently at her feet. At one point, Andromeda went to get more biscuits from the kitchen, and Narcissa leaned down to gently put her hand on the boys head, stroking through his downy hair.

"Do you want to see something, Teddy?" she asked, and he nodded vigorously, apparently still struck mute by the arrival of a new family member. Narcissa closed her eyes very tight and focused, knowing she had succeeded only when a small gasp came from the floor.

"Just like me!" he cried, reaching up to touch Narcissa's hair, now exactly the same shade as his.

"Yes, just like you," she said, something welling up in her throat at his unabashed joy. "But why don't we keep it a secret, just you and I?"

He nodded, eyes alight; he was thrilled to share a secret with someone, especially someone so undoubtedly _cool._

Narcissa shifted her hair back just as Andromeda returned, although she could read in her sister's eyes that she had some idea of what had occurred in her absence.

"Naptime now, Teddy, don't dawdle," Andromeda said, shooing him away from Narcissa. "Time for the grownups to talk a bit."

"You'll come back?" Teddy asked, immovable in the doorway.

"Often," Narcissa promised, and he only then did he let himself be taken to his room.

* * *

 **Did you like it? I've been wondering for a while why Narcissa looked so dramatically different than her sisters, and this is a fun headcanon reason!**

 **Also, a few people have followed this in the short period of time since I posted it, which is great! I'm so so glad people are enjoying it. However, this is definitely a oneshot, so please don't expect updates**

 **xoxo**


End file.
